Moore, Withrow talk crime and crowded jail

STOCKTON - On the table Tuesday night was talk of concealed weapon permits, union influence, crime and the topic that has received the most attention: the county's overcrowded jail.

Jennie Rodriguez-Moore

STOCKTON - On the table Tuesday night was talk of concealed weapon permits, union influence, crime and the topic that has received the most attention: the county's overcrowded jail.

Two-term Sheriff Steve Moore and the sergeant looking to unseat him in the coming election, Pat Withrow, fielded questions from the public in a friendly forum hosted by the San Joaquin Taxpayers Association at Central United Methodist Church.

The two contenders remained composed as they surfed through some of the county's most pressing concerns.

Withrow said he supports county residents obtaining concealed weapon permits in answering a question about a recent court decision to loosen California's concealed weapon laws.

"Good cause, unfortunately, is living in San Joaquin County," Withrow said, referring to county crime. "We need to get back to neighbors protecting neighbors."

Moore said the Sheriff's Office follows what the state requires.

Withrow pointed out that the agency's website has outdated information on required paperwork.

A reoccurring theme in some questions was the County Jail, as both candidates have pitched different plans to fix the overcrowding issue.

Changes in state law have sent more violent and serious criminals into the jail system who would have otherwise served their time in prison.

Moore said he has continued to present ideas to county supervisors, including a more recent plan to increase double bunking.

Moore assured that he would not implement a plan that was inherently unsafe.

But Withrow countered by saying he has spoken to correctional officers who are "scared to death" that their safety will be compromised.

"What we need are quick, inexpensive beds," Withrow said.

Withrow promoted his own ideas: converting the Honor Farm, which is not being used to house inmates, into a more secure facility to add beds; securing the Honor Farm fences, because inmates have been walking out at a higher rate than normal; and adding modular facilities on an as-needed basis.

"We need to catch up; it's been seven years," Withrow said. Withrow also said he is concerned that the overtime worked by correctional officers - some putting in up to 18 hours in a shift - is placing their safety at risk.

And because an increasing number of inmates are being released early from jail, the public is also put at risk, Withrow said.

"We need to do a better job of protecting our citizens," he said.

Moore challenged the modular facilities idea, saying nowhere in the state are corrections departments using such housing units. Modulars do not last and they would have to be brought up to fire regulations and other building standards.

"If that was a viable alternative I would have executed it a long time ago," Moore said.

Moore also said he has secured $300,000 to build a fence, a project Withrow said would still leave open access. The open access, which is also used by delivery trucks, should be secured with sallyports, he said.

Moore's efforts have included landing an $80 million state grant to build a new jail. The plan was scrapped after the economy tanked and county supervisors could not secure sufficient funding to operate it.

Although Withrow called the sheriff's use of $9 million to develop the plan a "waste," Moore said some of the work done was incorporated into another $33.3 million facilities plan. The higher-security facilities would have replaced the low-security Honor Farm.

Moore received conditional approval to build it, but recently the state opted to give those funds to Stanislaus County.

Moore said he is looking ahead into future funding that state lawmakers plan to earmark for jail expansions next year.

He also said the county is in the process of developing a pretrial assessment program to better evaluate inmates for early release.

Moore said that in his time, crime in the county has decreased.

"I can tell you that I have worked really hard and I'll continue to do that," he said.

Forum questions also focused on public safety.

Withrow's answer is to reconfigure the way deputies are deployed. One out of every five officers, he said, are on special assignment.

Withrow wants more deputies on the streets, working in schools and performing community policing.

One member of the public asked whether Withrow could be in the "pocket" of unions because of their endorsements of him.

Withrow said he is a "union guy" and proud of it, but rejected the notion that he is in their pockets.

Withrow said his priority is not to cut the "worker bees" who are "protecting people," taking a stab at Moore, saying the incumbent sheriff cut from the bottom instead of the top during recession years.

Contact reporter Jennie Rodriguez-Moore at (209) 943-8564 or jrodriguez@recordnet.com. Follow her at recordnet.com/courtsblog and on Twitter @therecordcourts.